It had to be said, He Luo, the Second Stage Sublimator Naga, possessed truly lackluster Sword Technique. Even after systematic training, when it ca ti to slash people, he still relied on his superhuman strength and defense, occasionally using his Soul Ability to ambush soone. But as for actual technique... Let's just say it was passable. Just going through the motions. To Huai Shi, who had gone through Raven's dark training camp, it seed downright sloppy.
The useful information in He Luo's remaining records was scarce. The fragnted accounts were largely about killing, with another significant portion dedicated to collecting money. His mories of many combat skills had grown vague and rusty, incomplete even. Conversely, he rembered his anonymous Arican United Bank account number with perfect clarity.
Unfortunately, while Sublimators earned a lot, they also spent a lot. The four Curved Knives crafted by the Alchemy Workshop alone had cost tens of millions. Such lee weapons, usable in both the Current Circumstances and the Border, truly embodied the principle of 'you get what you pay for.' They had clashed with Sacrificial Knives—Border Relics capable of slicing through iron like mud—countless tis, only breaking after Huai Shi cheated using his Soul Ability. One could only say their quality was exceedingly impressive.
The expenses for Alchemy Potions were even more frightening. A single tube of Silver Blood Potion, comparable to a common health potion, cost nine hundred thousand on the market. Even if the unit price didn't seem excessively high, the cumulative cost over ti beca an enormously frightening expenditure. And this stuff was essential. Going out without a health potion? Were you planning to fight with your bare head?
Furthermore, there was the Myanmar Religion—Theravada Tantra—which monopolized the Stigmata of the Poisonous Dragon lineage. Wanting to buy special custom potions or obtain advanced materials from them was practically like sending money to be robbed. Even if one earned a fortune through smuggling and other illicit activities, it was quickly spent. Only about seven million remained, an amount Raven sniffed at.
Penniless.
Huai Shi could only feel an acute sense of dread. Calculating it all, the food, drink, and items he'd received from Raven must have already amounted to tens of millions, hadn't they? He had inquired before; standard replenishing potions on the market might be relatively cheap, but those were just common nutritional supplents. If they included specially enhanced custom versions, well, those started at one million per tube. Who didn't want a sound body? And who didn't hope to lay a solid foundation for the future during their developntal phase?
Looking at it now, the price she'd quoted him wasn't just a 'friendship price'; it was practically a 'paternal price,' almost as if she were giving it all away for free. It had to be said, occasionally having such a ludicrously thick Gold Thigh to lean on was quite a thrill. As for her occasional unreliability and spouting nonsense... well, everyone had their strengths and weaknesses. Besides, it was Raven...
In summary, after reviewing He Luo's records, aside from learning a few ingredients needed for the Naga Stigma formula, the greatest gain was this authentic Theravada Dual Sword Technique, passed down directly by Theravada Tantra. Those monks might have charged exorbitant fees, but at least they delivered the goods generously, holding nothing back when teaching He Luo.
Unfortunately, He Luo had no talent for such a skillful weapon technique. Moreover, the Naga Stigma involved four swords, making it even more cumberso. In the end, only his fundantals were passably maintained. Theravada Tantra wasn't so considerate as to keep pestering him with lessons if he showed no interest. They'd made their stance clear: whether he learned it or not was his problem. Found four arms too troubleso? The higher-level Naga Stigma even had six! If you couldn't learn it, that just ant your destined connection had run its course. No need to force it—just make another donation...
As a result, the benefits fell into Huai Shi's lap.
Dual Sword Technique was cool, huh? Though putting it into practice was a bit of a hassle... After being thrashed by the instructors for the sixth ti, an agitated and frustrated Huai Shi waved his hand, summoned ropes, and tied up an instructor to use as a human training dummy. After all, he could always restart if the instructor was 'killed.' You might as well take the hit first, old man.
Through gradual experintation and practice, the dual swords in Huai Shi's hands constantly transford. Though still Curved Knives in form, their center of gravity and curvature gradually began to resemble the pair He Luo had once wielded. Only after gradually grasping its profundity did Huai Shi truly believe in the existence of four-blade and six-blade styles.
Ultimately, the core of this Theravada Dual Sword Technique lay in adapting to circumstances. It didn't matter whether one had two, four, or even eight arms. The key was 'patching up the gaps.' It was actually an underwater combat thod, its fighting style suited for aquatic environnts—the Naga's ho ground. Since it originated underwater, it naturally couldn't resort to overtly forceful moves like Power Splitting Mountain, which would only be counterproductive against the water's resistance. What it strove for were constant, relentless attacks, the soft and deceptive power of concealed strikes, and highly deceptive feints. Once fully executed, enemies wouldn't have any opening or chance to breathe until they died; and when on the defense, it was said to be watertight.
The focal point of its force when attacking didn't lie in the chopping motion, but in the process of pulling the blade back after it had been placed close to the enemy's body. Like sawing. The serrations on the blade edge would tear a huge gash in the enemy, and Naga's toxins would then invade, tornting the enemy to death bit by bit. With special throwing techniques, one could even utilize the Curved Knives' weight to achieve a boorang effect. In the hands of a true expert, they would move as nimbly as sea snakes. More knives ant more lethal force.
The horror of this Dual Sword Technique didn't lie in its straightforward killing power, but in the imnse psychological pressure it brought to enemies through an impenetrable defense and relentless, penetrating attacks, gradually hollowing them out from the inside. Insidiously lethal. As for He Luo's approach of wide, sweeping attacks from the start, which was entirely the wrong path, the instructing Masters could only comnt: No wisdom root. Next!
After 'killing' dozens of instructors for practice, Huai Shi finally began to grasp the rudints. The level of 'Theravada Dual Sword Technique' in his Book of Fate reached LV4. With the foundation of Ro Dagger Fighting, learning anything new was fast. Unlike military Dagger Combat, which simply pursued maximum lethality, this Dual Sword Technique, once he got the hang of it, turned out to be unexpectedly fun, allowing for many flashy maneuvers.
It was a pity He Luo's knives had been abandoned at the scene and were probably owned by soone else by now. As a fugitive, I'd better not dwell on it and just satisfy my cravings within the Book of Fate.
Ah, hacking at the instructor is so fun! He had completely imrsed himself in it. Even after ending the simulation for the umpteenth ti, he couldn't resist starting the Book of Fate again.
I'll just slash one more ti, just one...
anwhile, at the Stone Marrow Pavilion, Raven's Stigmata Forging had reached its most critical juncture.
Under the somber light, the molten tal in the Crucible emitted not the slightest glow. Instead, it seed to draw in the surrounding light like a Black Hole, resembling a fissure leading to the Abyss. With the addition of materials like rainbow ash, the Seal of the Silent Ones, Yin Iron Frost Silver, and others, it began to emit gusts of chilling wind. Swirling with black mist, this wind enshrouded the entire basent in a gloomy fog.
Now, all preparations were complete; only the final component was missing.
Raven stood before the Crucible, turned to look at the wailing Sacrificial Knife on the table, and gently urged, "It's ti. Will you jump in yourself, or shall I help you?"
The Sacrificial Knife vibrated violently, screaming. It seed to be refusing with all its might. After Raven's repeated urging, it actually leaped out of its sheath, attempting to slash at her.
Having absorbed a vast amount of blood and life force, the Sacrificial Knife now flowed with a brilliant golden light, magnificent beyond compare. Its blade was inlaid with various small gemstones forming strange runes. Once unsheathed, its sharp killing intent instantly dispersed the dreary wind and cold rain within the room. A tangible aura of death coalesced along the blade's edge as it slashed down towards Raven.
Then… there was no 'then.'
Raven rely glanced up at it, and it instantly fell to the table, all power gone, wailing pitifully.
"You sure have guts," Raven sneered. "Even Cipactli didn't dare act so presumptuously before . You, a shoddy imitation of 'Skinner,' where do you find such courage?" She nonchalantly ntioned the cruel god revered by the ancient Aztecs, her tone dripping with condescending judgnt.
"Alright, so you prefer the hard way, huh? Co now, let your big sister here see if you've been developing properly, hm?"
She lifted her slender claws and, one by one, pried out the gemstones—condensed Source Substance—and tossed them into the bubbling tal within the Crucible. Amidst the blade's pitiful shrieks, all its gemstones were stripped away, even the golden plating torn off, leaving nothing behind. In the end, she even dismantled the hilt, leaving only the dull, gray blade emitting a sound like weeping.
"Agreeing now? Too late!" Raven scoffed. "A scheming piece of trash like you thinks you can beco Little Huai's Stigma? Dream on! If I don't dismantle you today, my na isn't Raven!"
Ignoring the fact that her na indeed wasn't 'Wu,' she pecked lightly with her beak, pulling a screaming shadow from the blade and swallowing it whole. Then, she let out a satisfied burp. Beneath her feathers, her true form—the Event Branch—gained a faint, shimring golden layer.
A complete tonic. A pity the portion was still a bit small.
She clicked her tongue in regret, then with a flick of her wings, an invisible force flung the bare blade into the Crucible.
Compared to the blade's length, the Crucible seed surprisingly shallow, yet it swallowed the blade in an instant. It was hard to tell whether the blade had lted like butter in that mont or had truly fallen into so dark fissure leading elsewhere.
Imdiately, a boiling sound arose.
The darkness surged.
From within the surging darkness, substance seed to slowly coalesce. Borne by the liquid tal, it gradually condensed, revealing a smooth, polished surface. With the remnants of the Sacrificial Knife as its core, integrated with nurous other materials, a miracle of the Abyss finally erged from Raven's cauldron, revealing its true form.
It was difficult to say whether it was a resplendent dagger or the key to so Treasure Vault Door. Jagged serrations clustered along its spine, each tooth glinting with a brilliant golden radiance. Upon its hilt rested a nearly pure black Hexagonal Gem.
Raven looked up, glanced at it, and declared, "Let there be light."
Then, flas ignited within the Hexagonal Gem.
And so, it was done.
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